The Nainital High Court today criticised the state government for providing all kinds of facilities to former state Chief Ministers and ordered their withdrawal by December 16. The double Bench of Chief Justice KM Joseph and Justice VK Bisht gave this order today in response to a PIL filed by the Rural Litigation and Entitlement Kendra (RLEK) against various facilities, including staff, vehicles, petrol and housing, being provided to former Chief Ministers.
The court directed the government to file an affidavit by the Secretary, Confidential Department, regarding the withdrawal of all facilities to the former Chief Ministers. The double Bench also directed it to inform the court about the rules of providing housing facilities to the former Chief Ministers.
The state government earlier pleaded that the rules of the mother state of Uttar Pradesh were being followed. However, the petitioner said the said rules of UP were not adopted by Uttarakhand.
The Bench told the government to provide all details of private houses owned by the former Chief Ministers and whether they were availing housing facilities in any other state and in New Delhi provided by the government. The court gave directions to provide all these details of the case by December 16 for a final order in the case.
The RLEK in its PIL contended that the provision of all kinds of facilities to the former Chief Ministers amounts to a huge burden on the public exchequer and should be stopped.
Uttarakhand has six former Chief Ministers— Nityananad Swami, Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, ND Tiwari, BC Khanduri, Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and Vijay Bahuguna.
While the first Chief Minister Nityanand Swami died, all other five Chief Ministers are occupying big government houses and enjoying other facilities provided by the state government. It was only Nityanand Swami who did not stay in a government house while in office.
The court directed the government to file an affidavit by the Secretary, Confidential Department, regarding the withdrawal of all facilities to the former Chief Ministers. The double Bench also directed it to inform the court about the rules of providing housing facilities to the former Chief Ministers.
The state government earlier pleaded that the rules of the mother state of Uttar Pradesh were being followed. However, the petitioner said the said rules of UP were not adopted by Uttarakhand.
The Bench told the government to provide all details of private houses owned by the former Chief Ministers and whether they were availing housing facilities in any other state and in New Delhi provided by the government. The court gave directions to provide all these details of the case by December 16 for a final order in the case.
The RLEK in its PIL contended that the provision of all kinds of facilities to the former Chief Ministers amounts to a huge burden on the public exchequer and should be stopped.
Uttarakhand has six former Chief Ministers— Nityananad Swami, Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, ND Tiwari, BC Khanduri, Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and Vijay Bahuguna.
While the first Chief Minister Nityanand Swami died, all other five Chief Ministers are occupying big government houses and enjoying other facilities provided by the state government. It was only Nityanand Swami who did not stay in a government house while in office.
